MR FORBES’S SPEECH.

Otago Witness, Issue 3995, 7 October 1930, Page 49

MR FORBES’S SPEECH.

A PLEA FOR CO-OPERATION.

LONDON, October 1.

Mr Forbes, in acknowledging Mr MacDonald’s welcome, regretted (that Sir Joseph Ward had not lived to attend the conference, which was deprived of his wisdom and lengthy experience. “We meet here in circumstances in one sense encouraging, and in another sense depressing. The international situation has now greatly improved, and there is increasing strength in the movement towards peace and disarmament. This may well give cause for gratification. On the other hand, jve are facing * period of Serious economic depression.

1 earnestly trust that the deliberations of the conference will result in measures which will result in alleviating the posi tion. A great deal is expected from the conference with reference to economic subjects and failure on our part to agree upon a concrete and effective policy for the common benefit will cause great disappointment throughout the Empire. “ New Zealand is not concerned greatly m the recent developments on the con stitutional relations between the mem bers of the Empire. We have felt always “within recent years that we have had ample scope for our national aspirations and ample freedom to carry them out entirely. We value the close connection with the United Kingdom and the sister dominions. We would have been well content to allow the constitutional rela tionships to settle themselves in accord ance with the necessity of the position and the requirements of time, but we recognise that considerations that are applicable to one dominion are not necessarily applicable to all. I hope that al! the questions regarding status will oe settled finally at this conference. In x commonwealth of six equal partners, differing markedly in their history, internal organisation, industrial develop ment, and economic conditions, there must be a tendency for a weakening of our association in the absence of smie effective means of evolving a common policy of action.”

Mr Forbes said that he and his coi leagues were of opinion that the outstanding problem at the moment was the achievement of a common understanding and a common policy. To this their efforts would be mainly directed, hoping that the Governments represented w’ould find it possible to divert attention from status to co-operation.